Being Alive
by pipecleanerFlowers
Summary: Ryo has a bitter encounter with a man at the graveyard. All he wanted to do was honour his mother and sister and go home, but somehow this encounter spawns into something else. Plans never work out the way you want them to. AU
1. Prologue

"No."

Such a simple answer for such a complicated question. Bakura wasn't all that certain the poor kid knew what lay in the balance. He rephrased the question.

"Do you know what it's like to die?"

"I told you, no! And you don't either, so stop pretending you know so much about death!" The kid's hands were clenched at his sides, his face flushing a light red in anger. It seemed as though Bakura had touched a nerve.

"But I do," he responded smoothly. "In fact, I know quite a bit about why people die."

"Hearts stop pumping blood, bodies go cold, limbs no longer move," The kid said, his brown eyes flashing with anger. "I already know, you don't need to tell me."

The graveyard, lined with grey tombstones and uncut grass, suddenly seemed a lot colder. The breeze whistled through the drooping trees that were no doubt affected by the constant presence of mourning auras surrounding their overgrown roots and gnarled branches.

"So, who are you visiting?" Bakura finally asked.

"Why do you care?" The boy snapped.

"Because I come here often, and I've never seen you before," Bakura answered easily. There wasn't a funeral recently either, so it rules out the option of a new occupant buried under the ground in front of us."

"It's like you've forgotten that they were once alive, with friends and family..." He muttered bitterly. "That's my sister you're talking about."

Bakura nodded, taking another glance at the gravestone. "And who's under the other one beside it? Those flowers are from you too, right?"

"That's my mother."

"Oh, so you had one."

The boy blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

A beat, then, "... I didn't."

"Oh."

The boy grimaced, crossing his arms across his chest for warmth. His fleece sweater wasn't doing much to keep the wind from getting to him. He turned around to leave the unwanted and unenjoyable conversation, but something stopped him from leaving the man in front of him.

"Dammit..." He muttered, his feet not leaving their spot. He turned back around, sighing inwardly as he did. "What's your name?

He knew he'd probably regret asking, regret wanting to know him better, and regret being curious, but as much as he couldn't stand the man, he felt sorry for him in an odd way.

"I'm Bakura."

"That's my last name."

"What's your first name?"

"Ryo."

"... Nice to meet you, Ryo Bakura."

And with that, Bakura turned around and walked off, strangely alone in the barren field of gravestones and sparse trees, leaving Ryo to stare after him.

* * *

Hello readers! This is the prologue to a fic I'm starting. I hope you liked it!


	2. Weekly Occurences

Chapter One – Weekly Occurrences

* * *

"Are you sure you don't wanna go to the arcade with us, Ryo?" Yugi asked as their teacher began wrapping up the class.

Ryo looked up from his notebook, an apologetic smile on his face. "I'm sure. I just don't feel up to it today, I think I'm catching something."

"Alright," Yugi said understandingly. "Well, I hope you feel better." He turned back around, no doubt pretending to pay attention to the formulas that were scribbled over the blackboard.

The bell rang only moments later, and the fidgety students immediately got up in excitement as they started packing their bags and chatting amongst their groups of friends. Ryo slowly got up, not as eager to leave and start the long weekend. After all, today was Thursday, and on Thursday's he visited his family. But, unlike other students who thought family gatherings were boring and pointless, Ryo took them seriously.

After all, he was visiting their graves.

"Hey, Ryo, if you're feeling better later you can always join us for pizza at my place," Yugi told him. "You're always welcome."

"Thanks Yugi. I'll see if I can."

The graveyard was covered in a dense fog, making it hard to see most anything beyond a few feet. Ryo didn't have trouble finding his mother's and sister's gravestones though, as he had memorized the route long ago. The flowers he bought earlier were grasped tightly in his hand, and when he finally got to their graves, he set them down gently on the newly-cut grass.

He wondered vaguely whether that man, Bakura, would be in the graveyard too. According to their conversation, he seemed to be there a lot.

"Mom, have you seen him before? Apparently I'm new here, but I've been coming to visit you for a year now," He said aloud, voicing his confusion.

He shrugged, sitting down and crossing his legs. He pulled out his leftovers from lunch, feeling his stomach begging him to eat. Pizza at Yugi's sounded good right about now. He bit into the sandwich he had made that morning and, after chewing slowly, admitted to his mom that he had gotten better at making the special curry she always made. Turning to his sister, he smiled sadly, telling her that she would have probably spit it out because the last time he made it, it had been too spicy.

When he finally finished his leftovers, he got up, slinging his bag over his shoulders, and waved. "I'll see you again next week, Mom, Amane..."

As he weaved his way back through the foggy field, he shivered. He looked back, feeling as if someone was watching him, but shook it off. _No way_, he thought. _There's no one around but me and the fog._

He vaguely wondered about the man he'd met the last time he came, but quickly dismissed the thought. He had already decided that it had been a dream and nothing more. Dreams about death were normal occurrences, so Ryo didn't doubt that their meeting had been another one. He fingered the gold ring around his neck, toying with one of the points that hung from it. Maybe he would join Yugi and his friends at the arcade. After all, anything would be better than dwelling on graveyards and death.

* * *

Hey all! So, I decided that since I'm going to be super busy with university, exams, assignments, and life, I'd go with shorter updates on this story. That way, there's less of a chance I get writer's block, and more of a chance that these updates won't be stressful and far-in-between! :D

Sorry if that's not what you were expecting :(

Anyway, I'd love to know what you guys think. This will be a darker toned story, so a major theme will be death. I've taken some liberties because of the AU-ness of this fic, but they shouldn't be too jarring from the original!

Thanks a lot for reading!

astrya02


	3. Socializing

Chapter Two - Socializing

* * *

The sky was overcast, but it wasn't the only reason why Ryo thought his world turned grey. As he trudged down the streets of Domino City, the thought of just going home kept passing by his thoughts. The prospect was tempting, but he knew what his mother would say if he did.

"_Why don't you go out with your friends? Dinner will be ready at seven, call me if you decide on joining them for pizza too, okay Ryo?"_

He shook her voice from his head, imagining it being flung to the other side of the street. The flashing lights of the nearing arcade woke him from his grey world, and he entered the throng of gamers and cheering onlookers. It wasn't hard to spot Yugi and his friends, especially with the scene they were making at the DDR stage. Ryo felt something tug the corners of his mouth up as he imagined Tea having won the last ten rounds. She had quite a fan-base at the arcade, and quite a rivalry streak. Tristan was cheering loudly while Joey nudged Yugi and whispered something in his ear. Tea was finishing off another round with a girl decked out in full hip-hop attire, brand names covering every piece of her clothing, even her winged sneakers.

Ryo was about to tap Yugi on the shoulder to alert him of his presence when the bell rang out and told the two girls their scores. It had been close, but Tea had still come out on top.

"You sure gave me a run for my money!" Tea exclaimed, excited at the prospect of new competition.

"If it weren't for that screw-up at the start, I would've won!" The girl told her, arms akimbo. "I'm Shanti, by the way," She said, holding her hand out.

Tea took it momentarily, "I'm Tea, nice to meet you."

"See you around!" With a short wave, the girl left.

Tea turned to the steps to get off the stage, having had her fill of dancing for the day.

Yugi felt a tap on his shoulder, and he turned to finally notice Ryo. "Hey! I didn't think you'd come! Did you see Tea win just now?"

Ryo smiled. "Yeah, she's great at DDR! What are you all going to play next?"

Tristan wrapped an arm around Ryo's shoulders in greeting, "We were just about to leave to get pizza! You're coming with, right?"

"Yeah, of course!"

Joey cocked an eyebrow at him. "What, didja already eat or somethin'? You sound unsure."

"Nope, I've got a totally empty stomach, Joey," Ryo confirmed, having forgotten all about the sandwich from earlier.

"Alright then, let's go! I'm starved after that workout!" Tea said, leading the way out of the arcade.

The sky had grown dark fast, and the overcast clouds peeked open to show the dark hues of the impending night. The air was crisp and cool, and Tea graciously borrowed Tristan's biker jacket to warm up. It seemed Tristan was the only one with the foresight to bring a coat. The pizza place they were headed to was a short few blocks away, backtracking over a few more blocks from the graveyard.

Joey and Tristan were arguing over which toppings they'd get while Yugi tried to be the mediator, and Tea trailers behind them with Ryo. She was smiling knowingly at their argument, already aware of the outcome.

"What do you like on your pizza, Ryo?"

At first he hadn't heard her, but when she cleared her throat and asked again, he replied, "Well, I guess I like extra cheese, olives, and pineapples."

"Really?" She asked, genuinely interested. "I've never had pineapples on a pizza before... What kind of olives?"

"Black, sometimes green, I'm not really all that picky."

She nodded. "Cool." Moments later she broke up the boys' conversation with a declaration, "We're having cheese, black olives, and pineapples on our pizza, so no more Janken to decides, alright?"

The mumbled apologetically, agreeing to her announcement almost immediately, and discussed card games the rest of the way.

* * *

Author's Note:

Sorry if the story seems extremely trivial at the moment, but it's to set up some stuff that you guys won't get until maybe another chapter or two!

Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Review if you wish :)

astrya02


	4. The Crossing

**Chapter Three – The Crossing**

* * *

There was a wall. Ryo could see it, but the others couldn't. He didn't belong there. He shouldn't have gone with them. That barrier made him feel like an outsider. He was the transfer student. There was nothing special about him at all. The sinking feeling that Yugi invited him because he was lonely made him sick. He was gaining pity, not friends.

Ryo excused himself, telling them it was late and he needed to start on some homework. The others nodded, saying goodbye, not even telling him that he had the rest of the long weekend to do it, not even asking him to stay for sundaes, not even glancing back at him as he left.

The barrier disappeared when he finally stepped outside, and his head stopped spinning from thoughts of being a complete outcast. He leaned against the brick wall, trying to breath. Ryo had come to terms with feeling invisible long ago, but it still hurt. It was still painful to think that he clung so tightly to everything in the past that he couldn't even grasp the hands that were reaching out to him in the present.

"Ryo, right?" A husky voice interrupted his train of thought, and he was almost thankful until he looked up to see his doppelganger.

"You?"

"Yes, me. I see we remember each other. However, I don't remember you being such a wimp," Bakura commented, grabbing his wrist. "Let's see... what could have made you cry?"

Ryo's brow furrowed, both confused and angry. Bakura lifted Ryo's hand to his face, catching a fallen teardrop. So he was. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"Ah, that's the one I remember." Bakura pulled him off the wall and starting walking, Ryo in tow.

"What are you doing?"

Bakura shrugged. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Soon they were walking a route that Ryo normally took by himself. The grip on his wrist relaxed as they neared the gates of the passed. When they crossed the threshold of the departed, Bakura let go entirely. His black trench-coat, the one he'd worn when Ryo first met him, rustled with the wind. The bare trees scattered their leaves with every violent blow of the wind, and Ryo shivered again.

"What are we doing here?"

Bakura smirked. "We're going to give you closure."

"How are we going to do that," Ryo asked, his eyes narrowing. "You're just a stranger who knows nothing about me."

"I'm also a stranger who saw you today. I happen to have exceptional eyesight, and saw you leave here sometime this afternoon," Bakura told him easily. "And I know your story, since you make it so damn obvious."

"No I don't! You don't know me, so stop acting like you do!" Ryo said angrily. "You keep saying you know, as if you can delve into my mind and tell me who I am, why I'm here, what I'm doing... You can't do any of that. You told me you know what death is, so why haven't you told me? You say you can give me closure, so where the hell is it? For a stranger you sure seem to know a ton of answers."

"I can't help it if I'm a know-it-all."

"Then why don't you go ahead and show me you know it all."

Bakura sighed. "Give me a moment, and I'll give you a lifetime," He said simply.

"Get on with it then."

"You aren't ready to face it yet."

"You haven't even told me what I'm facing!"

"Death, Ryo."

"What?"

"You're facing death." Bakura repeated impatiently.

"But... I'm alive."

"Then prove it. Stop living in that world of yours and live for once, would you?"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Hello all :) This was a pretty quick update, since last night I had a burst of inspiration. However, not all updates will be this quick. I'm aiming for once a week, if possible

This was an interesting chapter to write, since it's the start of the main plot of drive for this fic. I hope you like where it's going!

Thanks for reading and review if you wish :)

astrya02


	5. Facing Forward

**Chapter Four – Facing Forward**

* * *

The graveyard suddenly felt a lot cooler. Ryo's breath hitched in his throat. Bakura smirked, having made his point, and he fully intended to run with it. The wind whistled through the gnarled trees, and when the breeze stopped, Bakura spoke.

"So, will you?"

"Will I what?" Ryo spat out.

Silence fell again and Bakura took a step toward Ryo, pulling the golden ring out of his jacket. "Do you know what this is, Ryo?"

He shook his head. "A relic from Egypt. My father gave that to me."

"A relic, you say? Hmm... not quite. It's much more than a simple relic," Bakura said. All of a sudden, he gripped the ring. Light emitted from it, shining through his pale fingers

:-:

Bakura knew things, and that scared Ryo.

In fact, as he locked the door to his apartment and hung up his coat, he couldn't stop thinking about what Bakura had said.

_Give me a moment, I'll give you a lifetime._

The words echoed in his head like some kind of ghost from his past. It couldn't be a coincidence. His uncanny resemblance and all-too-similar name made Ryo shiver. He turned on the TV so he could focus on something else, but found that it was only background noise to his thoughts. His heart was still pounding, though he was sitting still on the couch. A shiver ran down his spine. How could someone like Bakura have such influence on his mind? He guessed it had something to do with that ring. After Bakura had done... whatever the hell he'd done with that thing, Ryo felt his mind broaden immensely, and a pressure fell down on him like a heavy brick.

_Mind games, they're just mind games..._ Ryo tried to convince himself, but it wasn't working. He could still feel the smoke – had it been smoke, or something else? - surrounding him, leading its way into his skin and rushing through his veins. Ryo had trouble describing the feeling, and half-wondered through slowly whispering thoughts that maybe it was a mistake.

However, before he could decide for sure, he passed out.

:-:

Unlike in the movies, where characters woke up to birds that were merrily chirping their songs outside, Ryo woke up to the train as it rushed past near his apartment building. He rubbed his eyes, and, for a moment, forgot where he was. After a few seconds of glancing around and making sure it wasn't some strange place, he decided it was best to go out for breakfast. There was no school today, thanks to the long weekend, and he felt like taking advantage of the free time. After all, there was a lot to do in Domino City. After a quick shower, he was ready to go. Throwing a jacket over him, he left.

Ryo whistled to himself as he headed for the elevator. Today would be a productive day.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hey readers! I hope you all like where this story is going. The update took longer than I thought because this chapter could have gone one of two ways and I couldn't decide. I'm hoping the way I've chosen works well. Also, I'm sorry it's so short! The next chapter will be longer, I promise! :)  
**

**Tell me what you think!**

**~astrya02  
**


	6. Seeing in Colour

It was only when the cool breeze hit him as he stepped out of the building that Ryo realized just what he was doing. He stopped dead in his tracks, remembering the events of the night before. The details of the smoke and mirrors Bakura had pulled on him were fresh in his mind. He frowned.

"Yo, Ryo."

Ryo whipped his head around to see his doppelganger, Bakura, with a smug look on his face. "What do you want?" he snapped.

"You don't look as pale... and your eyes are clearer," Bakura observed, taking a step toward him. "And you were happy, right before you saw me," he added bitterly.

Ryo couldn't disagree with him. Even as he had brushed his teeth this morning, he noticed the difference in his reflection. "So what did you do, exactly?" he asked, eyes narrowing. "What kind of trick did you pull on me?"

"Who cares what it was? It wasn't illegal, if that's what you're worried about," Bakura assured him, starting off down the sidewalk and motioning for Ryo to join him. "Not by this country's standards, anyway."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ryo asked, worry tinting his frustrated voice.

"The 'relic' is Egyptian," he answered simply.

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

"A bit, yeah."

Ryo shoves his hands in the pockets of his coat, preventing Bakura's outreached hand from grabbing one.

"Touchy today, aren't we?"

"You violated me."

"You let me."

"This," Ryo paused, a reluctant smile on his face, "sounds really kinky."

Bakura smirked. "Well look at that, you're smiling again."

The two could-be twins made their way down the sidewalk, heading absolutely nowhere in particular, in complete silence. It was weird; Ryo hadn't made a joke like that in what felt like ages. What exactly did that relic do? He was absorbed in his racing thoughts, trying to figure out the man beside him. Though, however hard he tried, he couldn't seem to find any answers.

The once grey surroundings turned into colourful and bustling city streets. Children were chattering, playing, and squealing in joy in the park across the street, sounds that Ryo normally tuned out. He felt more aware of his surroundings instead of locked in the walls of his mind. The ice cream parlour only minutes away from his apartment was slowly coming into view, and Ryo immediately felt the craving for a bowl of vanilla with rainbow sprinkles piled high on top.

"So, what do you want from life right now, Ryo?" Bakura asked.

"... I want ice cream..." Ryo admitted sheepishly.

Bakura smirked. "Let's go get some then."

And just like that, the two were ordering ice cream from a chirpy cashier. Bakura laughed at Ryo's childishness when he claimed that there weren't enough sprinkles and asked for more. When both bowls of vanilla soft-serve were sufficiently decorated to Ryo's liking, they sidled into one of the booths by the window. Bakura took to mushing the overload of sprinkles into the ice cream, stirring it into what soon became a colourful soup, while Ryo dug into his own bowl.

"Does it taste good?" Bakura asked, amused at the sight. He guessed it was a rare one, since Ryo was smiling like a little kid.

"Yeah, it's great! Better than I remember it."

"Everything is better than you remember it, isn't it?"

"Yeah, how'd you... wait, you _would_ know wouldn't you?"

"Hmmm, I guess I would."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Okay, so this chapter isn't quite longer, but I think it's best I ended it here so that the next event can start in the next chapter :)**

**I know it was a long wait, but now that my first year of university is over, I have until September to update as quickly and as much as possible! (Although I'm also taking Spring and Summer courses because I'm studious and weird like that, so updates might be somewhat delayed, but not by much I'd hope!).**

**I'd love to know what you think of the story thus far!**

**~astrya02  
**


End file.
